(also spelled Baloot, Baalut, Baluge, or Balute.)
I think this might be the yuckiest looking food I have come across so far in researching for this site. Although we have no hestitation in eating eggs, or even young animals (not usually birds, but still) – this just pushes all of the ‘eww’ buttons in my brain.
Balut is a fertilised duck (sometimes chicken) egg that is at the stage of development that there is a nearly developed embryo inside. The egg is then boiled and usually eaten with salt, just like a normal boiled egg.
So where is this deliciousness eaten? Well in the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam it is actually quite common. You can easily pick one up from a street vendor, no need for a fancy restaurant in this case. Though in the Philippines in particular, popularity is increasing and you can now pick up your pre-baby duck in an omlette or even baked in pastries.
Interestingly, the age of the egg before it is cooked varies between cultures. In the Philippines, the perfect Balut is 17 days old, the point where the chick does not have beak, bones or feathers. In Vietnam however, they prefer their Balut to be 19-21 days old, the point at which the bones of the chick will be firm, but they soften considerably when cooked. In case it’s hard to imagine what a 17-21 day duck foetus looks like, here is a 15 day old egg floating in hot sauce.
(also spelled Baloot, Baalut, Baluge, or Balute.)
I think this might be the yuckiest looking food I have come across so far in researching for this site. Although we have no hestitation in eating eggs, or even young animals (not usually birds, but still) – this just pushes all of the ‘eww’ buttons in my brain.
And here’s one I believe is more towards the 21 day mark:
I’ll never look at my fried egg quite the same way again.
9 Comments until now.
OMG..whyyyyy do humans insist on coming up with these disturbing recipes that are guaranteed to have caused terrible pain to a tiny baby animal? Oh, I’m just ill. Yuck.
That is sick! I think that people just enjoy finding new ways to inflict pain and suffering upon smaller lifeforms.
these chicks dont seem to understand that if we were that small and helpless to a duck they would probably slurp us down their beaks too
WTF? Suzy and Layla, get over yourselves. It’s not like they pluck the thing from under its mother and boil it alive.
It is incubated only to the point of desired consumption, then it is removed from incubation — meaning the bird inside stops developing and is not so much as killed as it is never hatched to begin with.
There is no “terrible pain” with balut. It is a food rooted in history and culture and nothing to do with your jaded insinuations of ‘people are so mean and evil’.
If you must armchair advocate for suffering animals, try spilling your guts to the people who raise and slaughter bovine for veal. Now THAT’S cruel.
Kamusta ka ?
I just had the dish a day ago and was initially irked out. It’s a duck abortion! However if you just avert your eyes while you’re eating it, you’ll be fine. Thank you Tomas for shining some light on the dish’s preparation and silencing some overzealous animal rights enthusiasts.
Animals abuse, no way! More like human abuse! DISGUSTING!!! Who would eat something like that unless they were brainwashed to believe it was yummy?!
*barfing*
Dudes, this is what we called different cultures. Open up your mind and see the world out there. There are things way worse around your back alley than this. It is a dish of other country…so respect it. Or should i say eating beef or pork meat is a abuse as well. Dont eat it! You are killing the animals! Fools
Of course, people just wanted to inflict pain onto helpless baby animals.
Alternatively, in a time when they could not just go to the nearest 7/11 at 3 in the morning, people were probably forced to eat everything they could digest.
As time progressed humanity shed some things (eating mouldy bread) and kept others.
But then, that is probably too sane & reflective for your poor outraged souls.
NOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM
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